Play List for 2009

I don't normally recommend music to anyone for fear that they will think, "Oh dear Lord, she listens to THAT trash?" But, music can be a bridge between generations. Now, more than ever, the gap is actually bridegable in a way never imagined before.

I remember my father trying to make me appreciate Big Band music. No way. That was not going to happen in the burgeoning era of rock music that was diametrically opposed to Bing Crosby and was even tuning Elvis out. My dad also tried to point out that one or two of the Beatles' hits were remakes of songs from his high school days. Hmmm, that's interesting, I thought, but not all that interesting.

Now this kind of thinking is historical. Today it's known by many names - remixing, chopped and screwed - whatever you want to call it, generations and musicians cross over, and for a profit in more ways than one. Both the older and the younger generations can appreciate each other, even though some of the new stuff is getting harder and harder for me to listen to (it sounds teeny bopper-ish, no matter what genre it is done in) and the old stuff is verging on not just classic, but downright antique.

Some blending of genrations that come to mind are, of course, most notably Johnny Cash singing Nine Inch Nails, followed by Tony Bennett's MTV concert, Carlos Santana and Rob Thomas together on Smooth and from there the list goes on and on and probably also involves Willie Nelson some way.

My own children are well versed in the "classics" - Jim, Janis, and Jimi, Marvin, Smoky, Sly, Van, Jerry and Bob. We don't even have to say their last names - we all know who they are. They are as much a part of U.S. history now as Stephen Foster or Scott Joplin are. In another 40 years, will Snoop and Axel, Prince and Mariah, Beyonce and Britni hold the same place in our common music heritage?

If you are trying to bond with your child through music, a word to the wise - buying a CD and suggesting he/she listen to it may not work, although I do wish I had my dad's Stan Kenton jazz album he tried to make me listen to in the 60's. Those CD's will be appreciated later, but that method takes too long to assimuilate.

Rather, serendipitous meetings of the minds over music occuring spontaneously often work out the best - barring actually having a family band and singing/playing together. Singing in the kitchen while cooking together, agreeing on something to listen to in the car (and, of course singing together), background music during a family event (like your uncle who makes everyone listen to The Marshall Tucker Band during the family poker game), having a family dance in the livingroom or at a wedding, coming across Ghostland Observatory just by chance while watching Austin City Limits with your son, taking your neice and her friend to a Red Hot Chili Peppers/Snoop concert as a high school graduation present, or sitting with your whole family in Bono's golden circle - those are the ways music is passed between generations. You don't have to be the Von Trapps, but there is a reason their story is so popular - music binds us like nothing else to places and events, people and the times we live in.

What's on your family playlist for 2009? Whatever it is, from Abba to Zappa and all things in between, I hope your background music is inspiring and uplifting in the New Year, filled with some old standards and new classics.